Hey! I figured this would be easier to keep track of Ikamara’s Story instead of posting it all on the first chapter. If you are new here, Welcome!! Feel free to browse my work but I would suggest reading the Author’s Note on Chapter one Part one before doing anything. It tells you what you need to know about the story, when I post (starting again on May 5th), and why I am writing this! I hope you give my story a chance and fall in love with the characters as I have! Ike’s story is far from over so strap yourselves in for one heck of a ride!! :D
Remember, you are loved and cared about more then you know!
Thank you for your constant support!
Ike ‘n Bar Productions
Chapter One (Intro to characters):
Parts one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven here :)
Chapter Two (Gavin):
Prologue and parts one, two, three, four, five, and six, seven, eight, nine, ten, and eleven here :D
Chapter Three (Lucien and Victor):
Prologue and part one and parts two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, and twelve here :O
Chapter Four (Victor and Gavin):
Prologue, part one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, and twelve here >:)
Chapter Five (Kiro and Youran):
Prologue and part one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, and eleven coming soon!! :D
Lucifer would want you to take pride in yourself, you're amazing and you deserve to feel that way
Mammon would want you to be greedy, it's not wrong to want nice things for yourself
Levi would want you to enjoy your passions, regardless of what others think
Satan would want you to allow yourself to feel your emotions, the good ones, the bad ones, and even the ugly ones
Asmo would want you to wear what you want, look the way you'd like, and love who you want to love
Beel would want you to eat, your body needs fuel
Belphie would want you to get some actual sleep, being tired all the time sucks
Diavolo would want you to take charge of your own destiny, you don't have to follow the path that people tell you to
Barbatos would want you to take a break, you can't spend all of your valuable time working
Luke would want you to stand up for yourself, you shouldn't have to be treated poorly
Simeon would want you to take the time to recharge when you need it, your mental health is worth more than the feelings of others
Solomon would want you to accept guidance when needed, its ok to ask for help, he wouldn't be where he is now without the guidance he received
overall, you deserve to be taken care of, not only by others but also by yourself. you're allowed to feel good about yourself and do what you like and just live and love and exist in the way you want to and you shouldn't let anyone give you shit for it
hi)! i’d like to ask if you could write victor from mlqc x mc (female or gender neutral you can decide) for the prompt “don’t give me space. that’s the last thing i want from you”. thank you so much 💞
Of course!! This seems like a lot of fun! Thank you for the prompt!!
If you would like to submit a prompt, you can do so through this post! Don't forget to read the rules when you do!
Now let's get to the Victor angst >:D
>>>
When you and Victor first moved in together, everything seemed fine. You would make breakfast, the two of you would eat together, then carpool home to and from work, all while exchanging delightful conversations. Then Victor would make dinner as you took a shower. And every night you two would go to bed with a kiss and warmth in your heart.
But something changed. Maybe it was the rapidly approaching deadlines at work or maybe it was the way you were naturally a messy person and Victor wasn’t. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was that the peaceful schedule you had was now a mere memory. In the morning you would wake up to find you had woken up late and had to rush breakfast for the both of you. The carpooling went from casual conversation to arguing or even angry silence the entire way to work and back. And even at work, Victor seemed to always have something bad to say about your reports. Coming home Victor would continue to make dinner but you would spend your time in the home office, working relentlessly until well into the night. You’d find yourself going to the bedroom with Victor already in the room. He was either, already asleep, or, most often than not, sitting on the bed with his laptop, working on whatever work he had left from the day. Victor would still be working as you crawled into bed and fell asleep without a word or a kiss goodnight.
Eventually, you had had enough. You and Victor hadn’t shared a word of genuine love in weeks. Nor had either of you shared time between just the two of you as a couple. No. Everything had gone awry and there was only one constant in everything that went wrong.
You.
And you knew there was only one way to fix what you had brought to Victor’s home.
You had called Anna that night and asked to stay at her place for a while. She agreed so, while Victor made dinner, you packed a suitcase. When you had finished, you walked into the home office and packed your laptop in a bag strapped over your shoulder, figuring that working at home would be easier on both of you as well.
You descended the staircase as silently as you could, being sure not to make it obvious that you had a suitcase with you. As you tiptoed to the front door, you glanced into the kitchen. Victor stood over the stove wearing a sweater and khaki pants. He had a kitchen rag draped over his shoulder as he focused on whatever dish he was making. Though he wore his usual poker-faced expression, something seemed to weigh on his face and his shoulders. You played with the strap of your bag across your chest. He deserved to know.
You took a deep breath and entered the kitchen. The movement was enough to catch Victor’s attention, bringing his velvety black eyes to you. His expression began with curiosity, then, after spotting your bags, turned into concern. You quickly turned your eyes to the floor, afraid to start another argument. “What’s this?” Victor asked with stern hesitation. You grimaced but, knowing there was no turning back now, you spoke.
“I’m moving out.”
Silence hung in the room. After what seemed like hours, you heard the click of the stove as Victor stopped his cooking. Panic filled your chest. “I-it’s not that I don’t care for you anymore!” You quickly said, squeezing the strap to your bag even tighter, “I-I just… We’ve been arguing so much about every little thing! And time at work seems so tense what with so many deadlines coming up for shows and…” You took a couple of shallow breaths, fighting back the tears pushing through your eyes. When you spoke again, your voice had become noticeably meeker, “... I just think we need some space. Maybe we can try again later but… I… I don’t want to be a burden anymore.”
Once again the room was silent but you could feel the obvious tension that you had caused. You cursed to yourself. Yet another horrible situation you caused. The tears you had been holding back began to fall quietly down your face.
Quiet footsteps approached you. Your fight or flight instincts kicked in but before you could act on them, a gentle hand touched your cheek. So gentle in fact, you could nearly convince yourself that nothing was there. Slowly, you looked up and at Victor, who stood over you. But instead of his usual domineering and stoic attitude, he held an air of careful understanding,
And grief.
Another tear strayed from your eye. Victor was quick to catch it, using his thumb to brush it aside, still with the same gentleness as before. Victor took a deep breath and met your eyes.
“Don’t give me space. That is the last thing I want from you.”
Victor’s voice had never been so tender before. The mere sound of it made your heart skip a beat. You stood frozen in place, looking back and forth between Victor’s eyes, looking for a catch. Victor sighed and pulled his hand from your face to take your computer bag. You allowed him to pull it over your head and set it to the side. Immediately after Victor had done this, he pulled you into an embrace. One you stalled in the presence of. Victor, seemingly noticing your hesitation, held you even tighter.
“The tension between us isn’t your fault. I shouldn’t have been so harsh to you.” Victor spoke carefully in your ear as if he had been thinking about those words for some time now. You leaned into his hold and listened to him attentively, “And some of your arguments may have been unnecessary to even bring up. But I knew that no matter what you would still know I cared for you. That I loved you. I should have caught on sooner.”
With those words you quickly wrapped your arms around Victor, “I do! I do know you love me… do you know I love you?” Victor pulled away from your hold just enough to look you in the eye.
“Of course I do.”
Victor's words sent more tears down your face. Victor frowned and moved to wipe them away again but you stopped him by setting your head on his chest, gripping the sides of his sweater gently. Victor took that moment to kiss the top of your head. After a long moment, Victor asked something that seemed to be locked in his throat, “Do you still think we need space?”
You immediately shook your head against Victor’s body. You felt Victor’s body relax. “Can we discuss what we can do to fix this?” Victor’s voice was more confident now, nearly returning to normal. You pulled away from Victor, nodding once more, letting go of his sweater to wipe your face of tears. Victor sighed and smiled down at you. He took your face in his and pulled you into a kiss. You returned it, placing your hands on top of his.
After a moment, Victor pulled away gently, resting his head on yours as he rubbed his thumb on your cheek. After a long pause, you quietly said, “... what’s for dinner?” Victor chuckled handsomely, sending warmth through your heart and your cheeks. Victor placed another kiss on your forehead before finally pulling away from you. He removed the kitchen rag from his shoulder and reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. “Take out.” Victor said, his voice returning to normal. You looked at him in confusion.
“But weren’t you-”
Victor cut you off by patting your head. “Dummy.” Victor smirked as he scrolled through his phone, “You really think I’m going to continue working in the kitchen alone after a conversation like that?”
“Who said it had to be alone?” You asked excitedly, pulling his phone down so Victor was looking at you instead “Let me help you!” Victor’s eyes flashed with surprise. Then soon after, pure adoration. He put his phone back in his pocket and took your hand.
“Alright.” He said with a warm smile, “Let’s get started.” You walked with Victor into the kitchen happily, leaving your bags by the door and unattended for the rest of the night.
I've been wanting to write again so comment or dm me a number or a specific prompt with a name from someone from Mr. Love: A Queen's Choice or Obey me and I'll write a short story around your suggestion.
A few things before you leave a comment:
Specify a gender (Male, female, gender neutral, Trans male/female, etc.)
Specify the number or prompt specifically (ie, 1, 2, 3, or, "I still love you and I hate myself for it") (I can do multiple prompts at once)
Specify a character (Lucifer, Victor, Thirteen, Kiro, etc.)
I will NOT do any sort of sm*t or anything like that so dont expect it... I'm way too ace to touch that...
I will do hurt comfort so if you want a happy or sad ending let me know. Other wise I am one for happy endings
If you'd like I can also throw one of my OCs in the rink if you'd like me to write about them. Either my Obey Me or my MLQC OCs are fine but I won't do your ocs. I need extensive data to write those well and I'm not in the mood to do that.
I'm excited to write again so don't hold back and leave a comment/dm :D
“Asmo wouldn’t care if you were upset at him. He’s too pretty to care about you giving him the silent treatment. He’s too girl boss to give a fuck about you being mad”
Then there’s Asmo threatening to knock your door down just because we wouldn’t talk to him after he pissed us off.
Alright! It's the end of Chapter Five! And it only took almost a full year to finish! :D I hope you guys enjoyed! I have chapter six and the one shots all lined up and ready so stay tuned! :)
Warnings: Angst! Loads of it!! The kind that grips at your heart and leaves ya breathless. Oh yeah. That's the stuff. Also the classic cliffhanger that may make you want to kill me! :D
(Chapter Five (Kiro and Youran) Prologue and part one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten can be found here~)
((Please read the author’s note (and the beginning of the story) on chapter one part one if you’re new here :D))
(((And here is the Masterpost to the whole story for anyone who would like to dive into different parts of the adventure!!)))
Chapter Five:
Part Eleven:
“I don’t know.” Kiro worriedly tapped at his plate with his chopsticks, messing with the crumbs still left on his plate, “She’s been in there a while.”
“You think I should check on her?” Youran gripped at her dress from under the table, nervously looking at her plate of uneaten food, “The food is getting cold.”
“No need.” I made them both jump as I approached the table.
“Ike!” They both said, moving to stand.
“I’m fine, I’m fine.” I waved them off and sat back down in my seat, “I’ve just been fighting this awful headache lately. I must just be taking on too much work. I think I’ll take tomorrow off.”
“Good idea.” Kiro said, sitting back down in his seat, “Wouldn’t want you dying of stress on us.” I chuckled weakly and picked up my chopsticks. A hand appeared from next to me and held my left hand. I looked up and met Youran’s eyes.
“Are you sure that’s all?” She asked. A calm came over my head, quenching the pain that had been nearly insufferable just moments ago. I booped her nose with my chopsticks.
“You worry too much.” I smiled, pulling my hand from hers, “Some food will probably do me some good. I’ll be healthy in no time.” With no room for discussion, I made my plate.
>>>
We all slumped over, sighing in relief as we finally finished our food. “I’ll get this one.” I pulled my wallet from my pocket.
“No!” Kiro and Youran yelled. I froze.
“Why? Did the way I ate the food insult you or something?”
“No, it’s nothing like that.” Youran laughed, “You just always pay for things with us. Every time I have coffee with you, I feel like I have to wrench the bill out of your hands!”
“That happened at Souvenir too!” Kiro gestured to me and rolled his eyes, “We hadn’t even gotten our bills yet and she was on it.”
“I don’t think I have ever heard people getting angry over me treating them for a meal.” I scoffed.
“I’ll pay this time.” Youran said, standing up, “Kiro can get it the next time! Then we can rotate!”
“Sounds good!” Kiro beamed. I rolled my eyes and put my wallet back in my back pocket. But Youran’s words echoed in my mind.
Next time…
My stomach twisted uncomfortably but I ignored it as Youran giggled. “Then it’s settled!” She beamed, “I’ll be right back!”
“Alright,” I slumped back in my chair, “Thanks, Youri.” Youran smiled sweetly then paused as she thought of something. Before I could ask, her smile blossomed as she gasped.
“Ike! I keep forgetting to tell you!” She excitedly said, sitting back down in her chair as she tugged on my arm, “I have a nickname for you!” My eyebrow twitched.
“Is that so?” I nonchalantly said, “And what is it?”
“How do you like,
“Marie?”
An overwhelming peace came over my heart as images of my childhood came crashing to my senses. Images of a field of grass, an old rusty room, but ;more importantly; images of one little girl, running around carelessly, humming a familiar tune.
She was smiling.
“... Ike?” Youran egged, tugging once again on my arm, bringing me back to my senses, “Is Marie ok? I can change it if you-”
“No.” My voice cracked as I quickly cut Youran off. I cleared my throat and sat up, “Marie… Marie’s perfect.” Youran smiled brightly. Before I could stop her, she threw her arms around my neck and squeezed tightly.
“Yay!!” She cheered, “Marie it is!!” I patted her arm lightly, cringing at my lack of self control. You moron. Accepting a nickname now? Do you realize what you’ve just done?
After a moment, Youran pulled away from me, still smiling. Before I could take anything back, she quickly turned and made her way to the front desk. I watched Youran as she left. The knot in my stomach pushed it’s way up my chest. Maybe I shouldn’t do this…
“You and Youran get along really well.” Kiro spoke softly to me. I kept my eyes on Youran at the front desk as I nodded, “How long have you two known each other?”
“...Almost a month now.”
“Really? It seems like you two have been friends for longer then that.”
“It surprises me too.” I said softly, watching Youran laugh with the cashier over an unheard joke.
“... I’ve never seen you act like this before.”
“Like what?”
“So gentle. Like, Youran makes you... soft.”
The knot in my chest tightened even further. I hummed my response to Kiro as I pulled my eyes from Youran and back to the table. Despite everything that told me not to, I had to do this. If I didn’t, who knows what might happen?... who might get hurt?...
>>
Kiro, Youran, and I made our way to our cars. Since Youran had lived close by, Youran and Kiro both decided to walk together. I happily accepted it. I don’t think I could drive alone with her…
They waved goodbye to me, walking heavily layered in the foggy night into the city. I waved back, holding a soft smile as I did so. I watched them as they turned and walked away, talking and laughing together. My smile faded gradually as she disappeared, walking far enough away now that she wouldn’t hear if I had called her name. I leaned against my car, watching my hot breath clearly as it steamed from my mouth and disappeared in that cold autumn’s air. I buried my head further in my jacket as doubts swirled in my mind.
As much as you may think that it may help, it won’t.
Youran’s the queen. She can take care of herself.
And what if she can’t?
… she’s got Kiro. And Victor. And Gavin. I wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t already have Lucien too.. She doesn’t... need... me.
I pulled out my phone and opened my contacts. Whatever destiny Black Swan has for us, they can’t have if we aren't together. If all I’ve done is put the people I cared about in danger...
I stopped scrolling when I hit Youran’s contact info. Her name almost seemed to pop out of the device and etched itself in my mind. I don’t have to be with her to protect her… She will be safe. That brown haired child’s smile flashed in my mind. I sighed, and clicked the ‘edit’ button next to her name. I erased it and wrote “Youri” in it’s place, then hit save.
Satisfied with the change,
I blocked her.
>>>
A day had passed since I had cut ties with Youran. I delved into my work, telling the guard that Victor had assigned me to only let Bart, Minor, Victor, and whomever I had an appointment with in my office. No exceptions. This had started off swimmingly, letting me focus on my work while what doubts I held in my head. It all was just fine… until there was a knock on my door that afternoon.
“Come in.” I droned.
I was slumped over and nose deep in a progress report from one of our filming stations, paying no attention to the person knocking. The door opened then there was a pause. I sighed, “Minor, if this is you telling me that you’re worried again, I swear I’ll pour the rest of this coffee over your head.”
“... It’s not.” The familiar, cold tone, made me jump slightly. I looked up and met Victor’s eyes. He was standing tall by my door, one hand on the doorknob and the other in his pocket, his usual poker face in full effect. I immediately straightened my posture. I hadn’t seen Victor in a month. He had been on a business trip and, me being busy with the show and… Youran... I hadn’t had the chance to talk to him.
“Oh!” I cleared my throat, slightly flustered, standing from my desk politely, “Victor! You’re back from Dubai! I apologize for my behavior. Was there a problem with the report I sent in?" Victor stood in the door for a moment, looking me up and down. Then, he hummed and approached my desk.
“You seem busy.” He picked up one of the files on the desk and inspected it. I quickly snatched it from him.
“Hey, now.” I brushed it off and placed it back down on it’s correct pile, “I’ve got things organized here for a reason. Last thing I need to happen is mix up the Miracle Writer prop list with Show Me the Honey’s. Chaos would break loose.”
Victor folded his arms. “Have you gone to lunch yet?” He asked seriously.
“Don’t need to. Too busy. I’ll just have a big dinner later. Now,” I looked back up at Victor, already picking up the file I was previously working on, “is there something you needed from me or may I get back to work?” There was a pause as Victor looked at me with a strange look. I didn’t get a chance to ask as Victor reached out and took the file from my hands. I scoffed and tried to take it back. He pulled it away from me, holding it out of my reach. Annoyance flooded my body. Victor arched his eyebrow.
“Someone is here to see you.” He said, tucking the folder under his arm.
“Yeah, I know.” I sighed, folding my arms and pursing my lips, “and he won’t let me do my work.”
“Not me.” Victor moved, “Her.” I looked over to the door and froze. Youran was standing there, timidly waiting and nervously smiling. She wore a gray suit with a pencil skirt that lay just above her knees. Her hair up in a ponytail while light makeup brushed her face. My breath hitched in my throat.
Youran waved at me. I didn’t move. “She told me she tried to visit you but the guard wouldn't let it in anyone without an appointment.” Victor inspected my face as I stared at Youran, “She also said you weren’t answering your phone. So, figuring there was some problem with communication, I let her in.” Victor looked inside the file he took from me then placed it on top of one of the piles on my desk. “I’ll leave you to it.” With that, Victor left the room.
As he walked past Youran, she let herself in, closing the door behind her. “Marie!” She smiled, eyebrows knitted slightly, “I haven’t been able to reach you on your phone for some reason. It might be acting up again.” A sharp pain shot through my chest as Youran sat in front of me. “I wanted to ask how your headache was doing! I have a scientist friend who gave me some remedies for migraines. And he’s a good source so you should try them!” The pain grew as she talked. Even after I blocked her, avoided her, and made it nearly impossible for her to see me. She still ended up in front of me. Talking as if nothing happened. Blaming everything else but me for the troubles. I looked down at my desk, mixed emotions pushing through my heart.
She came back to you, They said, This is a sign. Unblock her. She’s only safe with you! She wants to be safe with you!
“Marie?” Youran asked softly, pulling my eyes back to her, “...What’s wrong?” She doesn’t blame you. Just say you lost your phone. You can have her back! She can be with you again! She would be safe again.
I sighed, tapping my finger lightly on the desk. Youran opened her mouth to speak. I cut her off. “I’m sorry, Youran.” My tone was tactless and cold, “I’m afraid I can’t meet with you right now. If you would like to talk to my assistant about times where I am open, feel free to do so.”
“‘Youran?’” Youran laughed nervously, “What happened to Youri?” The pain in my chest grew even more intense. I didn’t let it phase me.
“These are my business hours, Youran.” I walked around my desk and to the door, “I must keep this professional.”
“O-okay.” Youran stood up and followed me to the door, “Then, when are you open? Are we still ok for coffee on Monday?” I froze, hand held over the door handle. My heart felt as if it were about to burst in agony. Every fiber of my being screamed to accept her words but I couldn’t. I couldn’t let her mindlessly control me anymore. Even if it was unintentional.
Keeping my back to her, I said the words I should have said the night before. The words I hoped to avoid. The words that kept me up every night I was away from her,
“Youran, I think we should keep things between us purely professional.”
And, just like that, everything was silent.
Youran was speechless. But not for long.
“Wh-why?” She walked up to me quickly and tugged at my sleeve, bringing my eyes to her, “Was it something I did? Something I said??” She gasped, “Was it because I didn’t let you pay for the meal?? Marie, I didn’t mean to-”
“You didn’t do anything.” I turned around and opened the door to the office.
“Then why?” Youran panicked, “This is so sudden!”
“Youran.” I tried pulling her hands off of me, but she wouldn’t budge.
“Marie, I need-”
“Youran!” I boomed, shutting Youran up immediately, “...Please. I need to get back to work.” Youran stood there, breathing hurriedly. After a long, tedious moment, she let go of my arm.
Epilogue:
Youran frowned at her phone. The last texts she sent were lingering, unread, on her screen.
Hey! You’re still up for dinner tonight, right?
I’m really in the mood for hotpot. Is that ok with you?
I know you had a shoot today and I don’t want to bother you. Just let me know!
But it had been 2 hours and Ike still hadn’t texted back. Normally, Youran would leave that be but her and Ike had been talking nonstop for a week. They clicked immediately and would spend every moment together. Ike was also super good at making sure Youran knew that she wouldn’t be able to talk and for how long. Ike had also told her that the sights for the shooting had changed, so she had to have service. This behavior was off for her.
Those unread texts didn’t matter as soon as Youran’s taxi pulled up to the studio and she saw the police cars and fire trucks parked outside of it.
She quickly stepped out of her taxi, quickly payed the driver, then ran to the building. She grabbed the knob to the front door, panic overwhelming her senses. Please let her be ok. Youran repeated over and over in her head, Please don’t let it be Ike.
“Youran.” A voice called from behind her, stopping Youran in her place. She whipped around and saw Gavin approaching her.
“What-..?” They both asked at the same time.
“I-” They tried again. Youran shook her head and ran to the officer’s side.
“What happened?” She hurriedly asked, sparing no time for games.
“I got a call for a incident in the studio.” Gavin said, a tone of seriousness settling on his tongue, “Apparently, two people fell through the flooring.”
“Why would you be called in for something like that?” Youran asked, “Can’t the firefighters just get them out?”
“Foul play has been suspected from events that led up to the incident. One including a mishap with a light. It had fallen right above one of the actors. Upon further inspection by the crew, it seemed as if someone had cut the wire.”
Youran gasped. “Is the actor ok?!” She asked quickly.
“He was shoved out of the way by one of the employees.” Gavin spoke plainly. Youran sighed in relief, “But when they hit the ground, it fell from under them. Sending them to who knows where.” Youran nodded gravely. She looked behind Gavin and at the many police cars behind him.
“Why are there so many police officers here? Is the actor someone important?”
“Very.” Gavin nodded and folded his arms, “He is a top selling artist. But we aren’t just here for him. The second person who fell through the floor is one of the producers of the company who rented the studio."
Youran gulped, "and… which company would that be?"
"... The Ike ‘n Bar Productions company.”
Youran’s blood ran cold. "Which producer was it?” She quickly asked.
Youran gasped and clutched her mouth. A feeling of defenselessness crept in her chest. She had only known Ikamara for a week but she felt so close with her. Ike made her feel so safe and Youran didn’t for a moment question the strength she held. But now, what if she had gotten hurt? What if they fell and she broke something?? What if she was in danger?!
Youran’s knees felt weak. Gavin saw this and reached out just in time to catch her.
“Are you ok?” Gavin asked urgently as Youran clung onto his arms. She didn’t answer, her troubled thoughts becoming too much to bear.
“Do you know if she’ll be ok?” Yourang asked meekly, regretting the question as soon as it left her mouth.
“No.” Gavin answered truthfully, “But I promise we will do whatever we can to bring her back safely.” The panic in Youran’s heart settled slightly. Gavin could save her, just like he did for Youran not long ago. “Come on,” Gavin tugged at Youran’s side, “Let’s go back to the patrol cars. I have some water there you can drink.” Youran nodded and followed Gavin away from the studio.
Gavin stayed with Youran, standing outside of the car as Youran sat inside on the passenger seat, sipping on the water Gavin gave her. Eventually, a police officer walked out of the studio. He was holding something in his hands as he scanned the outside. Finally, he locked eyes with Gavin and immediately made his way over to him. Gavin straightened himself and addressed the officer.
“Officer.” Gavin said, professionally.
“Officer Gavin.” The officer stopped in front of him and nodded politely, “There is still no sign of the missing victims.” Youran’s panic rose again in her chest, “We watched the cameras back and positively confirmed one of the persons as the superstar, Kiro.” Youran gasped from inside the car. “ We also confirmed the destination where they had fallen. So we pried the floor up and… and we found cement.” Gavin and Youran tensed.
“Is there a way for us to get through it?” Gavin asked.
“We have people on their way with the proper tools. In the meantime,” the officer handed Gavin what he had been holding, “This is the producer’s blazer. She had taken it off before he had fallen through. Her phone and wallet are in it, confirming her id as Ikamara Bikira.” Youran’s grip tightened on her water bottle, causing some of the water to spill onto her lap. She paid no mind to it, merely keeping her attention to the blazer. Gavin nodded to the officer.
“Thank you.” Gavin said in a grave tone. The officer nodded and headed back to the studio. Youran stared at the blazer in Gavin’s hand.
“Gavin?” He turned to her, “... May I?” She reached out her hand. Gavin looked down then, realizing what she meant, gave her the blazer. Youran reached in the blazer pocket and pulled out her phone. She tried opening it…
then tried again…
it remained black.
Youran sighed, holding her knees to her chest as she stared at the blank screen. What if she was in danger? What if she was stuck and needed help out? Kiro was with her. What if they were both stuck and-
Youran shook her head held the blazer to her face in comfort. Ike’s familiar androgynous scent drifted into her nose. An immediate calm came over Youran, making her close her eyes. Ike’s poker face came to mind. The poker face she held reminded Youran of Victor, but Victor never held the amount of gentleness Ike had. Nor the sweetness in her smile… nor the rush of peace that Ike gave her everytime they touched.
A loud bang came from the side of the building next to the studio, followed by the sound of crumbling stone. Youran instantly perked up, looking towards the noise. Gavin held out a hand, stopping her from getting out of the car. He tugged at the radio on his shoulder and started speaking into it. Youran didn’t hear him though, her focus was on the figure that walked out of the alley. It was a woman wearing tattered, dust ridden clothes. The sleeves of her white shirt were torn to shreds, revealing muscly, heavily scarred, arms. She held her hand up against the sun, blocking the light from her blue eyes as she searched the area. Her hair was messily pulled from her ponytail, strands framed her face as she locked eyes with something in the distance. The sight of her made Youran’s eyes water.
“Ike.” Youran’s whisper caught in her throat. Gavin lowered his hand as he watched Ike as well, his eyes filling with various emotions. A man came up behind Ike, his hand raised as Ike’s was. He caught Youran’s eyes almost immediately. It was Kiro! Youran jumped put of the car with excitement. Kiro smiled and waved as Youran sighed, relieved they were both ok.
Ike finally caught Youran’s eyes. She looked shocked, mouthing something that Youran couldn’t quite read. Suddenly, Ike keeled over, clutching her head in pain. Kiro was quick to move to help her but hesitation stopped him from touching her. Youran thrust the blazer into Gavin’s hands as she ran over to Ike’s side.
“What happened?!” She quickly asked Kiro the moment she was close enough.
“I-I don’t know!” Kiro folded his arms anxiously, “She wouldn’t tell me!” Youran moved to hold Ike’s hand, but stopped as she saw the scars that wrapped around her arms. Ike hadn’t ever worn anything but long sleeves when she was with Youran and she never questioned it. The scars all looked old but Yoruan didn’t want to accidentally hurt her. So instead, she lightly held her hand to Ike’s cheek.
Immediately, Ike snapped her hand to her’s, holding it tightly and pulling it from her face. Youran jumped. A yelp held it’s place in her throat as they locked eyes.
Ike’s eyes had changed from their normal, caribbean blue to a dark, crimson red.
They bore a hole into Youran, sending a sense of danger and familiarity crashing into the dark parts of her mind. Sounds that sounded far away to her came reeling into her ears. Sounds of glass smashing, people yelling, sirens going off, and... screaming.
Alright people! We are one away from Chapter five being finished! This one was a super fun one to write. The fluff made me giggle like a school girl. Although, all good things come to an end! As you will see with this part in the series ',:) Stay tuned for mysteries finally being put together!!
Warnings: Not much besides the first bit of angst that we haven't had in a while!! Not to mention some ~Gayness~ so ya homophobes better watch out. (also get off my page you disgust me) Not to mention a cliffhanger that may cause you to beg for the next upload to come sooner >:P
(Chapter Five (Kiro and Youran) Prologue and part one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine can be found here~)
((Please read the author’s note (and the beginning of the story) on chapter one part one if you’re new here :D))
(((And here is the Masterpost to the whole story for anyone who would like to dive into different parts of the adventure!!)))
Chapter Five:
Part Ten:
Gavin and I had spent the rest of that night at St. Richards, laughing together. I had introduced him to Hunter and, after a moment of inspection, Hunter had deemed him worthy of my time. Not that I needed it, but it was nice to see the smile that Gavin gave me after Hunter had said it. After I had told them both the story with Sam and Kiro, they were in stitches. That day had ended perfectly, and I got to watch it end as the sun rose through the window. Gavin walked me home and wished me goodnight at my door. Though it wasn’t out of his way, the thought of it was what made it perfect. So was the second kiss to the back of my hand that he had given me.
As I walked into my home and lay in my bed, sleep evaded me. All I could do was think about that day. Sam had woken up not too long after I had gotten to bed and we made breakfast together, enjoying each other’s presence and the good food as Sam kept the promise he had made me the night before. After breakfast, Bart had come to take Sam home. I walked him down to the parking lot and said our goodbyes.
That weekend had passed by in a flash and as soon as it had come, it had gone. I had returned to my work and was back to being the hardheaded boss I always was. Though, now it seemed more difficult to hold my usual poker face.
>>
It was late as I sat at the desk in my office, looking through the plan I had just finished writing. There was a knock at my door. “Come in.” I said, keeping my eyes on my computer screen. The door creaked open slowly, as if the person behind the door was nervous to open it.
“Is the coast clear?” A hushed voice asked. I looked up and saw a head with a baseball cap and large sunglasses peering around the room.
“Excuse me?” I asked coldly, prepared for just about anything.
“Is the coast clear?” The head reiterated a bit louder. A suppressed smile seemed to be leaking from his pursed lips as he waited for me to play along with his little game.
“From what?” I asked, straightening my posture.
“From evil of course!” A familiar cheery voice came from the head as he looked at me, beaming. I rolled my eyes.
“You really think I’d work in an office with evil sitting with me?” I propped my head on my hand and arched an eyebrow.
“Good point!” The head said, opening the door further to reveal the rest of his body. He took off his hat and sunglasses and winked at me, “Heya, Super Stranger!”
“Hi, Kiro.” I hummed, turning back to my computer, “What can I help you with?”
“Well, I was just about to go to dinner with Youran when we realized, you should join us!”
“Youran?” I snapped my head back to Kiro. As I did so, music tickled the air. I looked behind Kiro and saw Youran holding a small music box in her hands. One I had kept on a shelf on display. I stood up and made my way over to her. Her eyes seemed to glaze over as she listened to the tinkling melody of the music box.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” I asked softly. Youran jumped; the box slipped from her hands. I swiftly caught it and grabbed Youran around the waist.
“I’m sorry I startled you.” I chuckled, steadying Youran as I spoke, “Are you alright?” Youran’s cheeks flushed as she nodded and stood up straight. I kept my hand around her waist for a moment, then removed it when I felt she was really ok.
“S-sorry!” She mumbled, “I didn’t mean to play it. I was just-”
“Don’t worry about it.” I smiled softly. I turned the key to the music box and let the melody play again, “Music is meant to be heard.” Youran’s once flustered state calmed as she listened to the song again. Her shoulders eased as she watched the box.
“What…” Her voice seemed far away, wading like the music after each note was played, “... What is this song?”
“Honestly, I don’t remember.” My eyes drifted to the music box as well, “I’ve known it all my life but I could never figure out the source. The song always seemed to comfort me when I was stressed so, when I was fifteen, Maria had given this music box to me that played the melody. So I’d always find a way to be… be calm.” The melody ended, washing the room in complete silence. I cleared my throat and placed the music box back on the shelf, “So, what is this about dinner?” I turned to Kiro. He was watching us, leaning back on the table and arms folded. But, his face wasn’t holding his normal brightness. It was cold. Ice cold. His eyes were sullen and his lips were pressed tightly together.
When our eyes met though, he quickly straightened and smiled brightly. “Sorry!” Kiro laughed, rubbing the back of his neck, “Got lost in thought.” He laughed. I kept my eyes trained on him. That wasn’t right. Who looks like that when they stare off into space? A warmth spread across my arm. I looked down and saw a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and caught Youran’s eyes. She smiled at me kindly.
“Is everything ok?” She asked this like nothing had happened. I slowly nodded and looked down. I was holding my arm in front of Youran, protectively. I quickly lowered it and coughed to cover a rising blush.
“So, Super Stranger!” Kiro made his way over to me and slung an arm over my shoulder, “How do you feel about Hot Pot?”
>>>
We all settled in our seats as our waitress left to get us water. Youran bounced happily in her chair. “I have been craving hot pot for the longest time!” She drooled, deeply breathing in the savory smells that filled the air, “I haven’t had the chance to go because of work!”
“Same, Miss. Chips.” Kiro joined her in savoring the smells, “I’m starving!”
“Well I guess we will have to start a conversation before you end up eating one of us.” I folded my arms and leaned on the table, directing my eyes at Kiro, “So, why do you call Youran, Miss. Chips?” Kiro smiled widely.
“Oh yeah! That’s a good story!” Kiro repositioned himself in his seat, “So there I was, looking for a bag of chips. But not any kind of chips, oh no no! A special kind that had collector edition batman cards in it!!” I placed my head in the palm of my hand, listening intently, “When I had found it, there was only one left! So I went to grab it but another hand stopped me!” I looked over to Youran with a smirk. My smirk fell. Youran was smiling widely and her eyes sparkled with adoration as she watched Kiro. The way she smiled was so familiar… and captivating.
"Long story short," Kiro continued giddily, pulling me out of my head and my attention back to him, "she gave me the cards and it was the one that completed my collection! So I started calling her Miss. Chips because of it!"
"Cute." I said somewhat sarcastically as the waitress came with our drinks, "You guys seem close."
"We are!" Kiro flung his arms around Youran from across the table, making her already big eyes grow wide, "Practically inseparable! Especially after what happened in that basement!" I choked on my drink.
"Excuse me?!" I spluttered.
"Yeah!" Kiro answered almost nonchalantly, "Miss. Chips and I were at the hackers summit when-"
"You're a hacker?!" I snapped my head to Youran. She waved her hands frantically.
"No! No!" She squealed, "I was just reporting on a story!"
"Yeah! And I found her there! And she found out I'm," Kiro leaned in close and whispered, "Key."
"Right." I pushed his head from me, keeping my eyes bolted on Youran, "So, what happened exactly?"
"Well," Youran almost whispered, "There was a bomb."
"A whAT?!" Panic flooded my chest.
"We're fine!" Kiro quickly said, smiling reassuringly, "But, while we were running, we tripped into this basement! It had three rooms that… had… death traps- actually…" Kiro paused, face becoming grim, "... the basement kinda reminds me a lot of what we had fallen into, Ike." My breath hitched. Images rearose in my mind from that strange computer. They flashed by quickly but the one picture of the little brown haired girl on an experiment table lingered.
"What exactly happened?" My tone had unintentionally become dour. The air had suddenly become stiff.
"Well," Youran begun, "there were three secret rooms we had to get through. Each one harder to defeat then the last."
"They were targeted towards us specifically." Kiro gave me a knowing look. I clenched my hands under the table.
"Then," Youran's voice was soft. Her eyes were looking at the table but they seemed a thousand yards away, "Then there was this text. And… pictures." My heart stopped, "Pictures I don't remember… but-"
"Seem familiar to you." I finished. Youran looked up at me, locking our eyes.
"Yeah!" She said, shocked, "How did you-"
“Here we are!” A team of waiters brought over the ingredients for our hot pot. I leaned back in my chair and let them scramble the ingredients around the table. Kiro and Youran’s faces lit up as they immediately started digging in, dropping the subject at hand. I hadn’t quite gotten there yet.
I slowly picked up the chopsticks by my side as my mind raced to make sense of what I had heard. Youran saw the pictures too? Had she seen the same ones I had? And the text, was it the same? Was it black swan? It had to be. What other person was making a three tiered death trap, targeted to us specifically? Why was Kiro with her? What did he have to do with any of this? A picture came to my mind from the computer.
A picture of the brown haired girl laying next to a bright blond haired boy.
The boy’s eyes…
I dropped my chopsticks.
Kiro was in those pictures too. That would mean…
“Stranger?” Kiro’s voice sounded far away, “Are you ok?” I nodded slowly, unable to speak. I looked up at Kiro. Images overlapped in my mind. Not just ones from the computer, but ones from the most forgotten part of my mind. Images of a bright eyed boy, reaching out a hand to pick me up, making me a flower crown, smiling the world's most dazzling smile…
I stood up quickly from my chair. Kiro looked at me with worry. “Is everything alright?” He stood with me, reaching out a hand. I backed up slightly, mind still racing. If Kiro was there, then he was an evolver too. What was his evol? Could he have been using it on me without me knowing? Keeping me tied around his little finger? Is he a member of-
I felt a tug from my left side. I snapped my head down and locked eyes with Youran. She held my hand, worry filled her eyes. “Ike.” The moment she said my name, I felt my body relax, “What’s-”
“I-... I’m ok.” I cut Youran off, looking away from her and holding my head, “Sorry, I… lost my cool.”
“What happened?” Kiro came to my side, touching my arm. I jumped at his touch, but soon settled into it. No matter who he was, he was still Kiro. He was still the man who fought so hard just to make me happy and spent the best day of my life with me and my brother. His past may not be as innocent as I’d like to think, but he was still Kiro. He was my SongBird…
He was my friend.
I looked up at Kiro and met his eyes, “Sorry.” I said earnestly, patting his hand, “I.. I don’t.. S-sorry.”
“Don’t worry.” Kiro chuckled, smiling reassuringly, “Are you ok now?”
“I…” My mind still spun with questions and emotions, “... I’m going to need a minute. Excuse me.” I shook Youran’s hand out of mine and walked to the bathroom, ignoring the holes the Kiro and Youran bore into my back with their eyes.
Once I got to the restroom, I slumped over the sink and looked up at the mirror. I looked like a wreck. Worry wrinkles creased my skin, my hair was a frizzy mess, and bags sat prominently under my eyes… my blue eyes…
I grimmised as another wave of images crashed into my mind, stronger then it had before, but these images were new. Those of a small blond haired boy playing soccer with me, a raven haired boy feeding me a spoon full of pudding, a small child laying lifeless in the middle of a street, a teenager flying in the air, a little brown haired girl sitting under a sycamore tree.
I groaned and held my head, feeling a pulsing in my temples as I knelt to the ground. Why was this happening?! What did Black Swan have to do with those images? Who was the Qu-...
The images stopped spinning in my head, landing only on one. That young, bright brown haired girl, reaching out a hand to me. Smiling.
Youran
… Youran was the queen.
I didn’t know why that truth was so clear to me but, it was. She was the queen. She had to be. But what did being the queen mean? And why were those images only shown to the two of us? What did any of this have to do with me?
I stood up shakily from the ground. Chuching my head as I steadied my self in front of the sink. I turned on the water and splashed it on my face. This was all insane. First Montu and now this?! I sighed and looked in the mirror. My breath hitched as shock filled my chest. I was in the mirror. I looked the same as I did before. Worry wrinkles, messy hair, bags under my eyes and all.
Except the color of my eyes had changed to a crimson red.
I quickly stumbled away from the mirror. The image of the broken lab and a little girl standing over Youran came to my mind. That little girl with the bushy brown hair and the monstrous red eyes...
she was protecting her…
I was protecting her.
I-... I was the Rook.
My protective feelings toward Youran, her ability to calm me with one touch, to look at me and instantly make me feel peace, that must have been the power she held as the Queen. She needed protection and, of course, an Evolver with super strength would do just that. She had to have been planning this the whole-...
Except.. she couldn’t. When she talked about the images, she said she didn't remember them. That they only seemed familiar to her. Like they did to me. Was she also struggling with these headaches? Would she tell me if she was?... did she feel the same closeness as I did? Did she feel that same pull, that same ease in her heart, when I spoke?
My blazer pocket buzzed. I shook my head slowly and shakily pulled out my phone. It was a text from Youran.
Are you feeling any better? Do you need anything?
I paused, a calm drifting through my beating heart.
She was worried.
I breathed deeply, then looked back at the mirror. My eyes had returned to normal. A thought came to mind. One that could solve everything…
Alright people! Soak in the happy fluff and resolve because, after this part, the fluff is over!! At least until the next chapter. I know I know, I’m tired of the fluff too. But this time it’s Gavin fluff! And also some progression with a intense plot point! So stay tuned for a wild ride!
Warnings: Threats are thrown, true colors are shown, another rhyme here, most of this is teeth rotting fluff so have fun! all the way until the cliffhanger I have left for you. :D
(Chapter Five (Kiro and Youran) Prologue and part one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, and eight can be found here~)
((Please read the author’s note (and the beginning of the story) on chapter one part one if you’re new here :D))
(((And here is the Masterpost to the whole story for anyone who would like to dive into different parts of the adventure!!)))
Chapter Five:
Part Nine:
I blinked. I hadn’t even thought about what I was saying. It just came so easily. Like mentioning the weather on a hot day. Or how to tie a shoelace. How could something so heavy just leave my lips like that. Especially after all my years of being told I would never be capable of it. How could I just…
Sam buried his head in my shirt. I looked down at him. I could feel his tears soaking into the fabric of my shirt. I meant it. I really truly meant it. Sam meant everything to me. He had been the first of that family to dedicate his time to me. The first to treat me with care. The first to try.
I loved Sam.
I loved my brother.
A lump formed in my throat as I pat Sam’s back gently. “I-... I mean it, you know.” I said awkardly. Sam nodded and let out a sob. I stalled a moment, then pushed Sam off of me, only to squat down and pull him into a stronger embrace. I lifted him off of the ground and held him close. He wrapped his arms around my neck and legs around my waist as he buried his face in his arms. I held on to him tightly, not daring to let him go.
“...I love you too.” Sam whispered into my ear. My breath hitched. Never had four words mean more to me in my life. He had said that he loved me many times before but this time was different. He loved me ‘too.’ He loved me as well! He loved me!...
I was loved.
The warm feeling in my chest crept into my eyes, making tears well at the rim of my eyes as I held my brother. I held him tighter and we stayed there for a while, crying together. Being with each other. Never wanting to let go ever again…
“Can I sleep over at your apartment tonight?” Sam asked meekly. I laughed and nodded.
“You beat me to it, kid.” Feeling the break in the atmosphere, I let Sam down gently, “I was going to ask you that same thing." He whiped his eyes and laughed with me.
“Ok!” He breathed a deep breath and smiled at me, “Give me a moment to tell Mom and Dad! And also grab some overnight stuff! I’ll be right back!” I nodded as I wiped the tears from my eyes. Sam, face full of determination, turned to run. But, before he got far, he turned to face me. “You want to come in?” He asked, “I bet Mom and Dad would like to see you!” I sighed and shook my head.
“Nah. I doubt I could deal with the sob fest that will happen when you tell them.” I said, imagining Maria and Bart holding me as they cry over me opening up, “I’ll see them tomorrow at dinner.”
“How do you know I’ll tell them?” Sam arched his eyebrow, “I think you should!” before, I could argue, Sam sped off. “I mean it!” He called behind him, “You should do it!” I scoffed and watched him run up to the house, open the door, and shut it behind him. I shook my head.
That kid.
I looked at the prizes Sam had dropped and sighed. Walking over to them, I started picking them up, tucking each toy in to my armpit, humming to myself. Before I could finish, my phone rang. Without looking at the caller id, I answered it.
“Speaking.” I said, somewhat happily, placing the phone in my neck as I continued to pick up the toys.
“You sound like you’re in a good mood, Evelyn.”
I nearly dropped the toys in my arms. I hadn’t heard that voice in such a long time. It almost sounded unreal.
“L-Lucien?” I asked, shocked. Lucien’s familiar chuckle ran through the phone.
“You sound surprised!” He laughed, “Didn’t you see it was me calling?”
“I.. no. I just...” I cleared my throat, embarrassed, “It’s… been a while! How’ve you been? How’s the trip?” I bit my tongue after the second question.
Lucien laughed again, making me ease my shoulders, “I’m good. The trip was nice but I am ready to come back to-
“Wait-” I stopped him mid sentence, realization overcoming my previous embarrassment, “Wh-when did I say it was ok for you to call me Evelyn?! Didn’t I tell you only Bart and Maria could call me that?!”
“You said that I couldn’t call you ‘Evie.’” Lucien was quick to jump in, “Evelyn is different.” I glared at the phone and stayed silent. Lucien continued, “I wanted the message of Evie to come through Evelyn. I wanted to call you a name with a message that you could feel different around me and know that I wouldn’t hurt you like others have. I want you to know you can trust me. But if it makes you uncomfortable, I’m sure I can find something else to prove to you I am worth your time.” I ran my tongue over my teeth. What is with this man? Can’t he do any thing wrong?
“Fine,” I sighed, “You can call me Evelyn.” Lucien chuckled in relief.
“Thank you... Evelyn.” He said softly, “I promise, I won’t let you down.”
“I’m holding you to that.” I said, finishing my gathering of the prizes and moving to the back of the car, “So when are you coming back?”
“In two weeks.” Lucien’s words made my chest fall slightly, “That Friday to be precise.”
“What time?” I opened the trunk door once again and shoved the prizes into the back of the car.
“Five in the morning… Why do you ask?”
“I’ll come pick you up.” I shut the door and leaned against it.
“Oh, you will, will you?” Lucien teased. My ears burned.
“Is that ok?” I asked, regretting my words slightly, “Is someone else already picking you up?”
“No. I would be more than happy to have you pick me up.” Lucien’s words calmed my slightly racing heart, “Though, I am curious why you would like to do so.”
“Don’t read into it.” I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the blush rising on my cheeks, “I just want to help out… and,” I closed my eyes and sighed, “and welcome you home.” There was silence on the other end. “Nevermind!” I quickly said, “Forget I said anything! I’ll see you in two weeks. Bye.” Lucien finally laughed.
“Wait! I’m sorry.” He chuckled, “I was just surprised to hear that from you. Last I had seen you, you were pushing me away relentlessly. And now you want to come pick me up because you want to see me. You’ll have to excuse my confusion.” I looked up at the house as Sam came out with a duffle bag. He was talking to someone inside, smiling merrily. I smiled too.
“I’ve found it easier to open up more.” I said softly, “I’m-… Thank you for your patience. With dealing with my standoff nature before. I’ll try and be more open with you. Would you… like to get breakfast together that friday? After I pick you up?”
“I would love that.” Lucien said sweetly. I blocked a rising smile uselessly.
“Alright.” I said as Sam approached me, “It’s a date.”
“Is that Kiro??” Sam asked excitedly. I rolled my eyes and rubbed his head aggressively.
“I’ll talk to you later, Lucien.” I enunciated his name, winking at Sam. He made a face and moved to open the back door, pulling me off of the car.
“Good night, Evelyn.” Lucien hummed.
“Good night, Lulu.” I teased. Then I quickly hung up the phone.
“I still don’t trust him.” Said Sam as he threw his bag into the back seat. He slammed the back door shut, giving me a moment to rub his head once more before we entered the car.
>>>
The end credits rolled onto the screen, setting the dark room into new blackness. After my eyes adjusted to the night, I looked over to Sam. He had curled himself up on my couch, resting his head against my shoulder, fast asleep. I sighed with a pleasant smile on my face. I gently pet his head. I sighed, reveling in the peace, then stood up. I moved him so he was laying down on the couch and grabbed a blanket to drape over him. Sam sighed and curled into the blanket, falling even farther into his sleep. I chuckled, brushing his bangs away from his face.
A yawn crept through my lips as I stretched. It had been a long day but, for some reason, I still wasn’t ready to sleep. Maybe I could go to St. Rich-
My phone started buzzing from the coffee table. Worried that it might wake up Sam, I quickly picked it up and answered it without looking at the caller ID. “Speaking.” I whispered as I walked away from the couch.
“You didn’t heed my warning.”
I froze. It had been some time since I had heard that voice but it couldn't be mistaken.
The man on the phone was Montu.
Normally, I would take a call like that very seriously, but, after the amazing day I had, I was feeling bold. “Well if it isn’t Montu.” I sang, walking to the window by my fire escape and opening it, “You know, I thought I had scared you away! Don’t tell me you spent the week hiding from me.”
“This is not a warning you should take lightly.” Montu seemed to have remained unphased, “Step down from your position of power before I remove it from you myself.”
“And by that, you mean send your men to do it for you?” I casually asked, shutting the window slightly, then placing my hand on my hip. Montu remained silent. I continued, “When I saw you last, your men seemed to be doing the heavy lifting while you sat in the back and ordered them around. If you ask me, it sounds like you’re scared I might take you down!"
“This is your final warning.” Montu boomed. His voice may have been as stable as before but I could tell he was getting angry, “Back down or else-”
“Or else, what? You’ll shoot me?” I straightened my posture and lowered my voice menacingly, “Listen here and listen close. You don’t scare me. You never have, you never will. Every punch that you throw at me just gives me more motivation to find you. No matter what you do, no matter where you hide, I will never give up my cause to putting an end to your tyranny. Let this be your final warning.” Without waiting for a response, I hung up the phone. It didn’t matter what threats he made on my life, he was going down. And I was going to make sure of it. No matter what it takes.
I took a deep breath from the air outside then let it out in a deep sigh. Some rustling came from inside the apartment, pulling me out of my mind and into the apartment. I raised the window enough to see Sam shifting around on the couch, only to fall back asleep. A soft smile formed on my lips. I guess, for now, Montu would have to wait.
I reentered the room, slowly closing the window behind me. I tiptoed to the door, being careful not to wake Sam. As I reached out to grab the door knob, a knock came from the door, stirring Sam slightly. “Ike?” A familiar voice came from behind the door, a voice I had heard nearly every night that week, “You up? I just.. I want to talk to you. ” I watched Sam carefully as I slowly reached for the door once again. “Please, Ike. I can’t-” Gavin continued halfheartedly. I opened the door.
Gavin looked up at me with shock. “Why do you look surprised?” I mused in a whisper, “Were you expecting someone else to open the door?”
“I-...” Gavin begun, but something stopped him from finishing. I paused a moment, then sighed, pucking my jacket and keys off of the hook next to the door. “Come on.” I said as I shut the door and slid on my jacket, “I could go for a drink.” I spun my keys around my index finger as I walked to the stairs. But, hearing no steps behind me, I stopped and turned to see that Gavin was still standing by the door, looking at me with a complicated stare. “Well?” I egged, “Didn’t you want to talk to me? Let's do it over a beer. My treat.” After a long moment, Gavin nodded and followed me to the stairs. I tossed him my keys. “You’re driving though. I’ve had a long day and I won’t be able to focus.” Gavin caught the keys. After amoment, he pushed the keys back towards me. I eyed him curiously.
“I, uh,” He covered his mouth as his ears reddened slightly, “I don’t think I’ll be able to focus either.” I stared at Gavin, confused. I couldn't tell much from his expression. Emotions toyed with his eyes even as his face stayed solemn. I didn't quite understand what was wrong. Still, I took the keys.
“Alright,” I throught the keys in my coat pocket and turned back around, “We’ll walk.” I continued my descent down the stairs. Gavin followed close behind.
It had been a while since I had been this close to Gavin. Walking silently next to him down that all too familiar street, it felt like no time had passed from when we had last spoken… but when we had last spoken, I had been brash and unruly. Leaving him in the dust and treating him like scum for doing his job. I had to make things right.
“Hey, I-” Gavin and I had spoken at the same time. We both looked at each other surprised.
“You-” We did it again. After a moment, we both laughed. Gavin stopped walking. A strange smile settled on his face as he looked at me.
“What?” I chuckled, stopping as well.
“Did you, Ikamara Bikira, just... laugh?” Gavin asked this as if he couldn’t even believe the words that came from his mouth.
“Yeah.” I breathed, rubbing the back of my neck and looking down, "Life has been pretty… eventful since we last spoke.” I looked back at Gavin. He seemed to be in a daze, eyes slightly glazed and a soft but steady smile draped on his lips. I chuckled and approached him. “Your face'll get stuck if you keep looking at me like that.” I slapped his face softly. Gavin stopped my hand and held it to his cheek.
“Is that so bad?” His tone was soft and dripped with sweetness. I smirked and arched my eyebrow, but my expression faded when I saw how meaningfully he was looking at me. A blush formed on my cheeks and a soft smile crept onto my face without me realizing it. The fire in my chest felt really nice for a moment… then it all faded when I thought about what had happened. I looked away from Gavin’s undeserving stare and pulled my hand from his face.
“Gavin,” I gulped, “I’m… I’m so sorry about what I had said before. I had been through a lot and I was confused with what I had seen. Not to mention my idol had just-” Gavin cut me off by raising a hand to my lips.
“It’s alright.” He said seriously, “Don’t worry about it.”
“No,” I took his hand and looked him meaningfully in the eye, “You were just doing your job and I snapped at you. It was uncalled for and I’d like to make it up to you.” Gavin sighed. He brushed a stray hair from my face and held my cheek.
“Well,” He smiled, “I think someone had mentioned a drink.” I smiled and nodded.
“I’ve got the perfect place.” I turned to look down the street, “It’s called St. Richards and-” A hand appeared on my chin. Before I could help it, Gavin turned my face back to him. His eyes were focused on me but were still slightly glazed over. He twisted his hand so that he was the one holding my hand.
“Or,” His voice had a low rumble to it, making a shiver crawl up my spine, “We can pick up where we had left off in the hospital.” I looked at Gavin confused. He chuckled and leaned closer to me, our noses mere centimeters apart.
“Remember now?” He asked huskily. The distance Gavin and I held shot a memory into my head, back when Gavin was in the hospital after Montu's first attack. We were this close before Minor interrupted us. It seemed as if we were going to…
My face flushed and my pupils dilated. Gavin chuckled slightly as he watched me. He inched closer to me. I pushed back. Gavin looked confused.
“I, uh…” I hesitated, pulling his hand off of my cheek and holding onto it. What was I doing? This was Birdcop we were talking about! We we’re partners!... right?
I cleared my throat. “St. Richards is going to close soon. We should get there before it-” I locked eyes with Gavin. He was looking at me earnestly. I sighed and avoided his eyes, scared to find disappointment in them. Then, Gavin sighed.
"I'm sorry," his voice was unsteady, making me look up at him. Gavin had looked away from me, a blush blossoming around his cheeks and ears. "I read this wrong didn't I."
"No!" I quickly said, tightening my grip on his hand, “I’m… I’m just not ready. I've just barely begun to open up to people and am just going to need a bit more time before I can… open up… like that.” An awkward tension pulled at my chest as I stared at the ground, waiting for Gavin to get angry.
He didn’t.
Instead, he squeezed my hand in his. I looked up at him. He was looking sweetly at me.
“I understand.” He said solemnly but kindly, “I’ll wait for you.” Gavin raised the hand he held to his lips and kissed it. He held it there for a while. I savored the warmth he gave, letting it make its way up my arm and to my cheeks. When he finally pulled away, he rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb, as if sealing the kiss there forever. He looked into my eyes. The look he carried was full of emotions. Most indecipherable, but the ones I understood, I knew were sincere. He chuckled softly and slapped my cheek softly.
“Your face'll get stuck if you keep looking at me like that.” Gavin teased. I dropped my smile and pursed my lips. Gavin laughed again then tugged my arm, “Let’s go.” He said as started walking forward, “I could use that drink.” I nodded and followed his lead. The fire in my chest was rekindled as we walked together, hand in hand. I looked at Gavin’s profile. Though he had seemed to be back to his usual self, a blush still tickled his ears. As it did to my cheeks. I could still feel the warmth from the kiss on the back of my hand…
“So,” Gavin’s tone had become casual again as he flashed me a teasing look , “Just what happened to make you start laughing?” I smiled.
